Getting started with eSports viewing

It's been a commonly asked question by friends of mine throughout the last four or so years - "I want to get into eSports spectating, where do I go", or "I'd like to follow eSports, but I have no idea how". What I'm going to list for you below is a simple FAQ on following some of the largest PC eSports titles, alongside providing you with some websites to help scratch that competitive gaming itch.

The first step to following eSports is deciding exactly what game or games interest you the most. There are a few 'major' players on the market at this stage, with these games seeing massive international competitive support in the form of gaming teams, tournaments, organizations and developer initiative.

If you want to start off with some of the biggest and you're not exactly sure where to begin, here are a few for you in no particular order:

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

StarCraft II

Dota2

League of Legends

There are millions of dollars in prize money, sponsorships and endorsements already flowing throughout these respective gaming scenes, and if you want to start off with the biggest, most loved and most respected titles - we've provided them for you.

The next step in following eSports is to figure out exactly how you're going to watch these tournaments as they take place. Twitch.tv is one of the most commonly used streaming platforms, with most major tournaments being broadcasted on here. Alongside Twitch, there are other platforms including YouTube's streaming service and Azubu.tv.

A streaming service is the best way to keep in touch with the action as it happens - it will allow you to watch the games live, hear professional grade commentary and pick up some tips and tricks along the way. However, how are you to know when the events are going to take place? How will you know the tournament structures, timing, teams competing and rules involved? This is where news sites come in handy.

Unlike 'traditional' media, news sites in the competitive gaming realm generally only cover one (sometimes two or three) different games total - this allows them to keep up to date with the latest information and continue pumping out reports quickly and efficiently. These websites, you will notice, tend to go into more detail than many traditional media outlets, providing multiple quotes, user opinions and in-game statistics to back up their claims - especially when some of the scenes most famous writers like Tomi "Lurppis" Kovanen are concerned.

On the next page, I will list some of the world's most popular websites, alongside what their majorly supported game titles include and their main target audience location.

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